Bottle opener and sealer



G. J. BAUCH v 2,@4L391 BOTTLE OPENER AND SEALER Filed Aug. 7, 1955Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention appertains to a unitary appliance for opening bottles andfor effectively sealing the same after the cap has been removedtherefrom.

The need for some simple device for effectively resealing a bottle afterthe removal of its cap and use of part of its contents to preserve theremaining part is well known, but to my knowledge no simple inexpensiveportable device of this character has been produced.

It is therefore one of the primary objects of my invention to provide asimple hand appliance which can be carried in the pocket (if so desired)and which can be readily and easily snapped over the neck of a bottle bythe ordinary layman and maintain the remaining contents of the bottle ina fresh condition without loss of the carbonating gas.

Another salient object of my invention is to provide a bottle sealingdevice embodying a body plate forming a handle and having on its innerface a compressible sealing pad with spring clips carried by the bodyplate and disposed adjacent to the opposite sides of the pad forsnapping over the bead of the bottle neck, whereby to hold the pad inintimate contact with the neck to provide an air and liquid-tightclosure.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of novelmeans for holding the compressible pad on the body plate and novel meansfor anchoring the resilient clip in place so that the ease of assemblingthe parts is insured.

A further object of my invention is the provision of means for forming abottle opener at 3 one end of the body plate, whereby the appliance canbe utilized for the dual purpose of opening a bottle and for sealing abottle, the remaining portion of the topof the body plate not occupiedby the bottle opener forming a space for the re- 40 ception ofadvertising matter.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a novel device ofthe above character, which will be durable and eflicient in use, onethat will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placedupon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will behereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which drawing:-

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view illustrating one 55 preferred form of myimproved device;

(Cl. 21S- 37) Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating a slightlymodified form of the device;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1looking in the direction O1' the arrows; 5

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 ofthe drawing;

Figure 5 is a central longitudinal section through the improved devicetaken on the line 5 5 of Figure 1 and illustrating the same in po-I 10sition on a bottle neck for sealing the same; and

Figure 6 is a top plan view of my improved device.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference charactersdesignate corre- 15 sponding parts throughout the several views, theletter A generally indicates my improved device which comprises a bodyplate I 0 struck from a single blank of sheet metal of the desiredgauge. rIhis body plate I0 includes a flat top wall II 20 havingdepending side marginal flanges I2 and I3 and end marginal ilanges I4and I5.

The body plate preferably narrows toward one end so as to form anefficient hand grip.

At one end of the body plate I provide a bottle 25 opener I6, and thisopener may be formed by simply cutting out a p-art of the top wall I Ito form a transversely extending elliptical shaped opening I'I. 'I'herear wall of this opening, at its central portion, is provided with aturned-back tongue I8, for a purpose which will be later set forth. Itis to be noted, however, that the tongue I8 forms lips I9 at each sidefor engaging under the corrugations of a crown cap.

The salient feature of my invention resides in the bottle sealer and I,therefore, provide a compressing pad 20 on the inner face of the topwall I I. This pad can be made from the desired material, such as sheetrubber, and the same is held in place by the tongue I8 which is bent 40into gripping contact therewith.

In conjunction with the compressible pad 20,

I employ novel means for holding the body plate on a bottle and the padin a compressed condition.

This means embodies a substantially U-shaped wire leaf spring 2I havingthe legs 22 and the connecting bight portion 23. If preferred, the legs22 can be slightly bowed in opposite directions. 'Ihe outer terminals ofthe legs 22 have formed thereon oppositely extending lateral attachingfeet 24.

In order to securely hold the spring, or clip, in position, I strike outfrom the side ange I3 55 ears 25 which are bent over the bight portion23 after the bight portion has been placed in engagement with the innerface of the ange I3 and in engagement with the struck-out ears 25.

The feet 24 are placed through struck-out loops 26 formed in the flangeI2, and this can be accomplished by pressing the legs 22 inwardly towardone another until the feet can ride into said lips.

The legs 22 are disposed in predetermined relation to the pad 2D, and inuse of my improved device, one leg 22 is placed over the bead of thebottle neck, after which the body plate is swung downward so as to snapthe other leg 22 over the bottle bead. The snapping of the leg over thebead moves the pad 20 into a compressed engagement with the bottle neckand prevents all loss of gas and the like.

The cody plate is removed from the bottle in the same manner, that is,by rst swinging one end of the plate upwardly until one leg 22 ridespast the pad.

Obviously, other means can be employed for holding the U-shaped spring,or clip, in position, and in Figures 2 and 3, I have illustrated anothermethod. In this form a longitudinally extending rib 3B is struckinwardly from one of the side anges and slits 3l are out in said flangeat the ends of the rib. The U-shaped clip has its legs threaded throughthe slits until the bight portion rides into the rib after which thefeet on the clips are moved into engagement with the lips carried by theother flange.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that I have provided anexceptionally simple and durable device for eiectively resealing bottlesafter the same have been opened.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit orscope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:-

A bottle\ sealing device comprising a body Vmember having a fiat bodyplate and depending side marginal flanges, a pad of compressiblematerial fitted against the top wall between said flanges, means fordetachably snapping the body member over a bottle neck with the pad incompressed condition, including a substantially U- shaped spring havingspaced resilient legs, a connecting bight portion, oppositely extendinglateral feet on the outer ends of the legs, the legs extendingtransversely across the inner face of the top wall, means for anchoringthe bight portion to one side flange, and means for anchoring the feetto the other side flange, said spring being located wholly within theconfine of the body plate and side flanges in slightly spaced relationto the pad.

GEORGE J. BAUCH.

